The moonlight breaking through the canopy of branches provided Kaelem and Selkor with light as they waded through the forest on the outskirts of Ashbarrow. The night was quiet for the most part, save for the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath Kaelem's feet. The air was thick with the clinging smell of damp mud and moss - a refreshing change from the toxic smog that filled Ashbarrow.

Kaelem kept his gaze low, watching where he stepped while processing everything that had happened. Magic was real - magic really existed, and it was inside him. His hand still occasionally tingled as they traveled deeper into the woods. He was curious about what his affinity might be. He imagined it might involve stealth or shadows, given how he had survived so far as a thief.

"You're a quiet one," Selkor said, glancing back. "What's on your mind?"

Kaelem shrugged, adjusting his scarf to cover his back as a cool breeze caught him. Wearing only a thin white cotton shirt, he could feel the cold creeping onto his skin.

"I'm just thinking about what my affinity will be," Kaelem eventually replied.

Selkor's soft chuckle barely cut through the rustling of leaves. "It doesn't always work that way. Magic is unpredictable. What you think you are and what you actually are - they aren't always the same."

The path ahead sloped downward, leading them through thistles and bushes. Kaelem wasn't sure how Selkor knew where he was going, but he seemed to be heading somewhere specific. "Don't worry, though, we'll figure it out," Selkor added, sensing Kaelem's hesitation.

After a few more minutes, a cave entrance came into view. Tucked away at the base of a hill, the entrance was partially covered by vines and twisted branches that grew towards the rock. Selkor pushed them aside and motioned for Kaelem to follow him inside.

The cave was humid, and the air felt thick. Patches of faintly glowing moss illuminated the rocky walls. Selkor inspected the area before settling on a suitable spot. He then marked out a position for Kaelem to sit and began carving symbols into the earth. Kaelem watched him work, his nerves twisting his stomach.

"There we go. This should help," Selkor said, gesturing for Kaelem to sit in the center of the runic symbols. "The runes will help gather ambient magic around you."

Kaelem lowered himself to the ground, crossing his legs as Selkor continued moving around the cave, carving various inscriptions into the dirt and walls.

"Now, close your eyes and focus. Imagine you're surrounded by darkness within a bubble. Magic should start drawing toward you naturally. Picture bubbles coming toward you. When you think you can feel them, reach out and bring them into your bubble," Selkor instructed, his tone calm and filled with wisdom.

Kaelem obeyed, closing his eyes and concentrating on the pulsating sensation in his hand. He followed the feeling through his body, surrounding himself in an imaginary bubble.

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He reached out, trying to sense the magic in the void around him. At first, he struggled to feel anything, but he continued to concentrate. After several moments, he felt it - a patch in the air that felt charged, similar to the scroll he had first inspected. Reaching out in his mind, he attempted to visualize the ambient magic as a bubble, something he could grasp and pull into himself. But as he touched it, the bubble broke apart, slipping through his fingers like water.

Several minutes passed in silence. Kaelem's brow furrowed in frustration.

"Nothing again," he muttered under his breath, growing agitated.

Selkor watched him closely, as if trying to solve a puzzle. "Not nothing," he murmured, taking a few steps closer. "I can sense something. It's magic, but it's unlike anything I've ever seen. The magic your body has absorbed… it's completely pure."

Kaelem opened his eyes to find Selkor kneeling in front of him, his face filled with curious bewilderment. "Isn't that what's supposed to happen?" Kaelem asked.

Selkor shook his head, his orange eyes glowing faintly as he seemed to peer straight through Kaelem. "Not exactly. It's raw. Pure. Magic, unconnected to any element or purpose."

"Pure magic?" Kaelem repeated, unsure of the implications. "What does that mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure…" Selkor said carefully, his gaze still piercing. "Most mages are born with an affinity to an element, or to a specific path of magic. A natural connection to something like summoning, illusions, or healing. But you… you don't appear to have an affinity at all."

Kaelem's heart sank at Selkor's words. All he could gather was that he didn't have a magical affinity. "Great, so I'm a mage who can't cast spells?"

"Hardly," Selkor said, still studying him closely. "Quite the opposite, in fact. You may not have an affinity, but you can wield magic in its purest form. Rare would be an understatement. Pure arcane energy, raw and untamed. It doesn't come with a specific instruction or follow the same rules as elemental magic."

Kaelem looked down at his hands. It was faint, but the warm tingling sensation was becoming more consistent, spreading throughout his body.

"It could be dangerous," Selkor added cautiously. "I don't think there are any recorded cases, but magic without an affinity is powerful, yet unpredictable. If you fail to keep it in check, it will consume you."

Kaelem couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. Not only could he use magic - he was special. But that excitement quickly dimmed as he saw the concern on Selkor's face. The wizard looked as if he had witnessed a tragedy play out before him.

Selkor leaned back, lost in thought. "It reminds me of something I read once… I can't quite recall it. I'll have to find the tome when I return to my library."

Kaelem frowned. "What do you mean?"

Selkor waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing to dwell on, dear boy. What matters now is that we begin your training. You'll need to learn to use your magic safely. Raw power needs to be shaped into something stable."

"So, what do I do?" Kaelem asked, his voice quiet but determined.

Selkor rose to his feet, his expression softening slightly. "We'll start with control. Learning to harness the raw magic inside you by compressing it into a usable form. Normally, we use spells that have stood the test of time, but in your case, we might have to improvise."

Kaelem took a deep breath as he stood up, following Selkor's lead. He had spent his whole life in the shadows, a street rat in a town that barely noticed him. But now, he was about to leave that life behind, no longer constantly fighting for survival.

And he wasn't going to waste this chance.

"Let's begin," Selkor said, gesturing for him to follow. "This will be your first step toward controlling the magic inside you. It won't be easy, but if you succeed, you'll be able to shape it into anything you can imagine."

Kaelem's body was tingling with excitement, for the first time he felt powerful. He was ready.